Many employers are embracing the idea of a $25 minimum wage in the face of pressure from workers’ rights activists. A number of cities have already adopted a $15 to $20 hourly rate, while Seattle has passed a law that will gradually increase their minimum wage to $15 by 2021. Because wages at the median level have barely changed over the past decade and most lower wage jobs are service positions, organizations are trying to adjust and pay employees a livable wage. This is especially true in some of the largest U.S. cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, where the cost of living is much higher than the national average. Social media campaigns and strikes from workers' rights groups have brought more attention to the matter, and organizations have been responding by investing in automation and AI to increase efficiency and profit margins in order to make these wage increases possible. Despite this, the labor markets in many areas are expected to remain weak, as some employers may not be able to increase wages without passing the costs onto consumers.
